What Makes Something a “Cigar Collectible?”

Have you ever had someone come up to you claiming he found an awesome deal on a collectable at a yard sale or eBay? It doesn’t matter if it’s your friend or a complete stranger. Heck, it could have been a blog or a post you saw online about snatching up a super rare collectable item. But then when you actually see or hear about what they bought, you have no other thought in your mind other than “Wow, that’s a massive hunk of junk you just bought.” Of course being the civil and good person that you are, you simply agree with the good find and quickly change the subject to avoid hearing your friend, stranger, or blogger claiming they can take the jobs of the American Pickers. Of course, it eats at you all day why this person claims the item he purchased is considered a collectable. Is it just a collectable in his mind or is it truly worth its weight in gold? For God’s sake, what the hell is considered a collectable nowadays?

Well fear not. I’m going to give you the inside scoop of what is considered a collectable. First we’re going to start off with what is NOT a collectable. I’m really going to level with you here: if something is labeled as a collectable item, it’s most likely not going to be a collectable. Do you really think the “collectable” lanyard keychain that you got at a small B&M by an obscure tobacco company based out of Spokane, Washington is really going to be worth more than its weight in polyester in 20 years? Absolutely not. What about a backpack or utility knife that you get for free with the purchase of a box of cigars? Again, probably going to be worthless. Those backpacks and knives are made at around $.10 a piece, and thousands get circulated. The most valuable these items will ever get is if you use them in a legit survival situation in which case, they become invaluable as you use them to save your life. Sorry to burst your bubble, but I swear I’m trying to help prevent you from being a hoarder.

Now what are the real collectables in the cigar industry? Well, just take a look at the hot items that are selling now from the 1970s and back! Vintage cigar boxes, advertisements, and high end accessories such as humidors, cutters, and lighters. That’s where the real money is. You may not realize it, but the items that you use every day and toss when you deem them insufficient or defective may be worth an arm and a leg in the future. Now I’m not talking about the $5 lighter that you got on sale. No, I’m talking about items like the Xikar Xi3 Mammoth Ivory Cigar Cutter. Of course this is a bit of a no brainer that it will be collectable because there are only a few thousand in the world and it already has a high price tag, but this helps you get the idea a little better. Actually, I would argue anything from the Xi3 line will be a collectable in 20-30 years simply because of their unique designs and precision cutting abilities. Keep them in good shape and you bet your sweet tuckus they’ll be worth a pretty penny more than what you originally paid.

At the end of the day, a collectable item is usually something that isn’t advertised as collectable. That’s just a front to lure you into buying a box of cigars or 5 pack to get a cheap freebie. Instead, the items you use every day like a lighter or a cutter will most likely hold a lot more value in the future and become a collectable. Even old advertisements will be worth something someday considering advertisements are short run prints for a specific event rather than a mass produced cheap freebie. So keep on the lookout for any cigar advertising or artistic/short run accessories. They may just be worth a fortune in the future.